Zev
by Luckie D
Summary: It's been a year since Ace's passing and John Munch hoping to bring another new dog into Maria's life. Will she accept his offer or decline it? Rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Maria Frank is my own creation. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU. This is set roughly a year after Ace passed away.**

Scanning his eyes over the far few photos Maria Frank had placed on the wall following Ace's passing, John Munch knew she was feeling the need for a friend. Not just a human friend, since she had John for company and companionship, but a furry dog friend. It had been a year since Ace passed away and coming home to a quiet home was becoming lonely for the both of them. He had noticed, when Ace was around, Maria was happiest to have a furry companion to take to the park, walk or jog with.

His goal was to find her a furry companion.

But first he needed to get back to bed after getting up to get a glass of water and call to nature. Heading in the direction of the bedroom, Munch walked in and walked silently to the bed to join his partner under the covers. To his humor, she had wrapped her arms around his pillow and was hugging it close. John smiled and gently tugged it out of her arms, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder. "Can I have this back?" He softly whispered, smiling when she cracked her eyes open for a moment. "Can I have my pillow back?"

"Hmmm...no," She flatly replied, holding it closer to her chest and tiredly smiled. "Why would you want it back? It's too comfortable for me for you to take back." She muttered and her eyes closed again for sleep. John sighed and reached into a closet for an extra pillow. He knew the chances of getting it back were slim to nothing at that moment, even though she would give it back in the morning.

The first step, he figured in his mind, was the look out for signs of her wanting or hinting a new dog.

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M

The next morning before work, he glanced through the morning newspaper and noticed classifieds for available dogs. John knew she would never get a dog through the papers, but it was worth hinting it to Maria and see her reaction. "Hey, Maria?"

"Yes," She answered, lifting her head slightly from her breakfast. "What's up?"

"Now I can see why you don't like looking through the classifieds for dogs. Some of these prices are outrageous and some people even have them up for free." Munch lifted his eyes to see her shake her head slowly. "Just to ask, who would you go to if you were to get another dog?"

Maria sat up and tilted her head in deep concentration. "Well, I would probably ask a few of my reputable breeder friends of who they know has available puppies. I would probably ask Robert Dickson first since he knows mostly all the breeders in the New York state. I do know he breeds Papillons - they're cute but not my cup of tea - but he knows breeders who breed bigger breeds." She lightly kicked his leg and asked, "Why'd you want to know?"

He shrugged and placed his paper down to finish his cup of tea. "Just curious." The look on her face told him she didn't believe him. "Honest. I'm just curious."

She smirked and softly snorted. "Yeah, sure. You may be curious, but there is a reason behind it. You should know I know you well enough to not take the 'I'm just curious' excuse." She stood up and lightly touched his cheek as she headed to the bedroom to finish getting dressed.

_She knows me far too well, _John thought to himself, as he folded the newspaper and headed in the direction to get dressed.

* * *

"I don't know man. Do you think she's ready to own another dog?" Fin Tutoula, John's dark-skinned partner asked as he refilled his mug. He had let slip his ideas and thoughts to him by accident moments earlier. "Frankly, do you feel ready?"

The older man sighed and tilted his head slightly. "I've felt ready for a new one six months ago. I know this isn't going to be easy for her since Ace and Alex were not only her companion dogs, but also her partners at work. She basically had to get a new dog right away after Alex was killed on the job. I don't want her to feel pressured into getting another one just because I feel ready for it. I've seen her training skills and they are beyond amazing, but it's just seeing if she's ready, if she'll accept another dog and if the dog or puppy will accept her."

Fin thought for a moment, as he glanced over in her direction. Maria was nose deep in paperwork and moving as fast and carefully as she could. A few of her cases were due to be closed, but they did need her attention for the rest of the day. "Maybe. Any idea of where you'd find her a dog or puppy?"

"She's friends with reputable breeders around the city. I'm hoping I can get a chance to call one and find out anything if she's hinted about it or not. Being Mar, she won't tell me upright, but she's more into hangs it around until I understand it."

Shaking his head slowly, the dark man took a seat at his desk and went to work with his case load.

A few hours later into their day, Munch decided to check on Maria to see if she wanted to go out for some lunch. What he saw on her computer screen for a split second surprised him - a page on Bloodhounds. The bells rang off in his head, but he didn't show any sign of seeing what she had been looking at when she exited out of Windows. "Want to see if you would like to go out for lunch?"

"Lunch? Sure. Any place in mind?" She asked, wishing for a moment he didn't see what she had been looking at. Maria wasn't too sure if he was ready for a dog either.

He thought for a moment and suggested, "The sandwich and salad shop on fifth avenue? We haven't been there in a while."

"Sounds good." She smiled up at him and logged out for her lunch break. Taking his car and heading in the direction of the small shop, he pulled over under a tree and laced his fingers with her's. "What's the matter, John?" Maria asked, knowing he only did that during work if something was bothering him.

He answered with saying 'nothing', but he could see she didn't believe him. He couldn't get anything passed her when he was deeply thinking or bothered by something. "Nothing's wrong. Can't a man hold his girlfriend's hand?"

"Not when the girlfriend and boyfriend are cops and not suppose to be in a relationship." She remarked, squeezing his fingers gently. "What's the matter?" For a few minutes, he didn't say anything and instead averted his eyes to stare at the steering wheel. Releasing his hand, Maria leaned back to make it look like she was reaching for something in the backseat - when she was really leaning over to whisper into his ear. "C'mon, baby. What's the matter?"

John swallowed from how close she was and turned his eyes to look at her. He didn't want to tell her about his plans since he wanted it to be a surprise for her. She had done so much for him in the past, he wanted to give her something that would last for a long time. "I just love you. That's all. I wanted to hold your hand and just feel your palm against mine." He noticed he was whispering and wished he hadn't.

"We can't do anything while we're sitting here, silly, and we're due back at work in an hour." She replied back, her voice at a whisper that sent chills down his back. "Let's just get some lunch in us, finish up this day and then we can go home for some free time together."

"Okay, then. Just so long as we have some free time later this evening." He smirked, pointing in finger sternly at her face. Seeing her eyes glance down at it with a look that would have made him overly excited, John thought it was best to get out of the car before they were caught in the backseat by pedestrians walking by. "What are you feeling for, Mar? A sandwich or a salad?" He asked as they headed into the quiet and small shop.

Maria pondered for a moment on her options, knowing she's tried almost everything on the menu. "I haven't the chicken salad for a while. What about you?"

"Oh, you know the usual." He glanced in her direction and grinned, making her laugh. "Why do I make you laugh easily?"

"Because you are too damn funny to me," She answered before adding, "And predictable ninety percent of the time."

_I hope I'm not too predictable, frankly,_ John thought, briefly biting his bottom lip before looking at a patiently waiting server.

**To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer - Maria Frank is my own creation. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU.**

A few days later -

Pressing her forefinger and thumb against her eyes, Maria Frank rubbed them firmly before looking back at her computer screen. It was now late into the evening and she couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried to cuddle up against John and relax or told herself to calm down. Hugging her robe against her body and scanning for another website, she couldn't stop herself from looking up dog breeds. No matter how many she saw as fluffy, fast, bulky, cuddly and sleek, there was one breed she couldn't pull herself from now.

The Bloodhound.

It just felt right to her from the exercise requirements, to feeding schedules right down to the massive drooling. Ace was a drooler which required her to carry around a few wash clothes to clean his jowls when working or after feeding. Alex even had his own drool-fests when he was excited, aggressively tracking down a perp or after eating. One thing for sure, John never complained about it since he was quick enough to avoid either dog.

"Maria?"

Hitting the minimize button and looking up at John, Maria smiled tiredly at him. "Hey, baby. What are you doing up?"

He sat down at the table and observed her face. "I could ask you the same thing, Mar." He smirked and reached out to touch her face. "Can't sleep?"

"No, not right now." She lifted her mug and took a sip of her peppermint tea. "My system's acting up to the point I couldn't lay down anymore. I'm just hoping the peppermint will help and, if not, we have extra ginger ale in the fridge." Maria brought up another webpage and checked her email. "I'm hoping I can distract myself enough to allow my body to calm down and relax so I can sleep."

John moved closer to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, waiting for her to look up at him. When she didn't, he pulled her close to his chest and sighed. "I know you've been dealing with this for a while now and it's not just work that's affecting your stomach and system," He whispered, knowing and understanding the pain and discomfort she felt when her depression and stress collided. "What's bothering you?"

"I-I don't know," Maria admitted. "I've been dealing with this since Ace passed and it's just gotten worse to the point I can't take it anymore. I don't know what my mind and body is trying to tell me."

_I think I know what it's saying, _John thought as he closed his eyes. _I know just what it's trying to tell you. You need a dog companion._

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M

"_I'm not surprised she's showing signs of being lonely without a dog around." _

John had called up a fellow reputable dog breeder friend of Maria's to find someone who bred Bloodhounds. "It's taken her roughly a year to finally start showing the signs she does. She doesn't know I'm contacting various friends, so we can keep this hush hush, right?"

_"Oh, no problem. You must be John then. She's told me about you many times when we've gone out for a drink or when she's stopped by my place." _

"What do you breed?" He asked, making sure Maria was still laying down on the bed before heading out onto her deck.

He heard barking and the woman laughing softly as a door open and closed. "_I breed Basset Hounds. Mar's certainly fallen in love with my stud dog, Mocha. She's talked about thinking about having one, but their leg issues certainly keep her at bay. Do you know what she's interested in exactly?"_

"I've come across her looking up Bloodhound websites more then anything. Looks like she's partial to black and brown ones?"

_"Oh! Black and Tan bloodhounds? Those are certainly gorgeous dogs. I don't know if she knows any reputable breeders, but I certainly know of a few right here in New York."_

Munch's interested perked. "Really? From shows you've done and whatnot?"

_"Of course! Where else?" _He heard her laugh and he could tell why this woman and Maria were good friends. _"There's only one I know who breed black and Tans while the other person breeds your basic tan hounds. I can give her a call and see if she has any puppies available."_

"That would be wonderful. Do you know how many litters she allows a year?"

He heard her opening a file drawer and going through papers. "_Hm... Let me see here for a minute. I'm going to put you on speaker so I can use both hands." _He heard her hit a button and place the phone down, all the while hearing her going through papers and files. _"Ah! Here we go! Lara Herz's Bloodhounds. She only has two main bitches who breed only twice a year and three main studs, one in case of outside breeding." _

"What does that mean? 'Outside breeding'?"

_"It means she only allows reputable and accepted bloodhound breeders to breed with this certain stud only once every few years. Bruce is her main stud and the black and tan. Tricks is her Tan and liver stud and the outside breeder is a double red named Val." _He heard her sit down at a table and place papers around. "_She has excellent feedback due to the utmost care, training and requirements she does with her dogs. How about I give her a call to see if she does have any available. If she does or doesn't, I'll call back to you and give you her number if she does."_

John smiled and sat down on the lawn chair. "That would be wonderful. Thank you!" He hung up and placed the phone down on the pearly white table, observing the clouds overhead. Due to Maria's digestive issues, Don had given her some time off to relax and catch up on needed sleep, giving John the chance to look around while she rested. Earlier, he had warmed up a bowl of chicken noodle soup before she laid down for a nap, knowing the warmth of the soup was going to knock her out. He knew a puppy was a lot of work for both of them to tangle with, but it was something Frank always seemed up to doing without blinking. She quickly trained Ace from being a cop dog to a family pet in record time from what he remembered.

At this rate, a new dog in their lives seemed something John needed, too. He did miss waking up in the middle of the night with a dog resting on his legs, numbing them from the weight.

A few moments into his thinking, the phone rang and he glanced at the caller ID. He grinned and answered it. "John speaking."

_"Good news! She has some black and tan bloodhound puppies and they'll be ready in a few weeks' time. Here's her number for you to get in contact with her." _

He reached for a pen and his notepad, reading to jot it down. "Okay, I'm ready for it." He quickly wrote down the number and the breeder's name. "Thank you so much, Heather. You have no idea how important this is to both of us."

_"It's no problem, John. Give Maria my regards and love when you tell her about getting a puppy, 'kay?" _

"I certainly will. Take care." Ending the call and exhaling a slow breath with a smile on his lips, John stashed his notebook back into his suit jacket and walked into the apartment. Peering into the bedroom, he glanced at Maria who was sound asleep on her side. He quietly walked in and placed his hand on her forehead, checking how warm she was. He frowned slightly and check the temperature of the heating pad resting on her stomach and lower abdomen. "Oh, sweetie...," He whispered, knowing she wasn't feeling well at all. _Maybe I'll need to break it to her sooner rather then later,_ he thought deeply.

He walked back out of the room and closed the door, heading back onto the deck to make a call to George. "Hey, Huang. It's me. I was wondering if you could do a background check on someone before I call them."

_"Sure. Who in particular?"_

"A dog breeder here in the state who I'm looking at about getting a puppy for Maria."

_"Oh? Sure. Do you have a name?"_

John nodded and rattled off the name and address, hearing him typing in the other line. The sound of George humming in approval perked him up. "That sounds like a good sound."

He chuckled. _"It is. This person has a great reputation for selling amazing puppies who are already trained with the basic sit, stay and down. She only sells the best dogs and find special homes for those who have medical ailments and requires them to be spayed or neutered so the medical ailment isn't passed down the line. Says here she also requires to see the home of the possible new owners and allows the possible owner to spend a few hours with the available puppies to see how the person and the puppies react together. No arrest record, no drug possession and no nothing that would make her seem like one to avoid."_

"Sounds like one that might just be the right bloodhound breeder to get a dog from for Maria."

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*

Three days later:

"John, why are you being so secretive with me lately?" Maria asked over a lunch break, taking a bite from her grilled chicken sandwich. Munch glanced up at her but looked back down, almost avoiding talking to her, but he was also thinking of what to say. "Hey," She very lightly kicked him under the table, grabbing his full attention. "C'mon. What's going on? Is it your health? Is it your prostate acting up? What?"

He shook his head, finally deciding with what to say. "No, it's not that and my prostate is fine, since you asked. I'll tell you after work. Okay? I just don't want to say it here and have you either excited or upset for the rest of the day."

Frank tilted her head back and stared at him under her glasses - a look she only reserved for him when she knew he was hiding something or lying to her. He stared back and didn't blink, showing her he wasn't lying to her and the look wasn't going to make him falter. "Okay then. I guess I have to wait until the end of our shift before you tell me why you're being so secretive with me."

"I swear. It has nothing to do with my health and it's a surprise. I swear I'll tell you after work." He smiled and winked at her, earning a small smile from her.

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer - Maria Frank is my own creation. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU.**

"Alright, so tell me what this secret thing is you promised to tell me." Maria asked once they entered her apartment and the door was locked.

John was practically feel sick to his stomach about what he was going to surprise her with. He didn't know if she was going to say yes or no to the idea. "Okay, now I'm not sure how you're going to like this idea, but I've talked with a few of your friends and I've come to the idea that...I think it's time for us - but mostly you - to get another dog. It's all up to you, though, if you feel it's time."

She was slightly shocked and needed to sit down. Slipping onto a dinning table chair and allowing herself time to think, Maria looked back up at John and grinned. "I was honestly more worried about you with this topic then myself. What brought this up?"

"I've been thinking about it for a while and I have caught you looking up dog breeds, if I'm correct. Not only that, but your health is telling you as well. Your depression has been starting to affect you physically and mentally to the point your health is taking a toll. Am I right?"

Maria sighed and stood up, wrapping her arms around his waist to hug him. "You hit the nail in the head, John." John returned the hug and rested his chin on top of her head. He knew it was true, but he had to wait for her to say it. "I'm sorry I never said anything beforehand, but I wanted to be sure it was really this and not something else."

"I know and you don't need to apologize." He pushed her away and held her at arms length. "This is a big deal and a really change if we do get a new dog. I just want to make sure if you are ready for this because Ace and Alex were both your dogs. You trained, cared for and tended to their every need right to the end. Are you sure about this?"

"I am very sure about this," She answered sternly, touching his face with her hand. "Are you?" When he nodded, Maria just about squealed with happiness when she threw her arms around his neck. "Now we get to play the fun game of working out what breed works with us-"

John cut her off with a smile. "What was the breed I kept catching you looking at?"

She smiled sheepishly and replied with, "Bloodhounds." Frank watched him reach into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, handing it to her. She opened it and read it.

_Thank you for showing interest in my available bloodhound puppies.  
From checking over your apartment and your partner's apartment, I feel your life is suitable enough for one of my available pups.  
Please feel free to come over to my property during these available times when I'm home to see the parents and the puppies.  
All of my dogs are given shots, taught basic training skills are in top condition of health before they go to their new homes._

_Feel free to email or call me any time for any question.  
Hope to hear from you soon, John!_

This time, Maria really squealed and grinned from ear to ear. Forgetting the fact someone she didn't know what in her place - something she didn't really like - Frank reread the letter and could feel the tears coming. "H-how did you...? When did you find the time to do this?"

"During times when your working or laying down in bed." He explained, feeling his nerves relaxing the more she smiled, watching tears of joy running down her cheeks. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, feeling his tears coming as well. "I'm glad you approve of this. I know it's sudden, but what to you think about checking out her place this weekend? The puppies, from what she told and showed me, they're around four weeks old, but it doesn't hurt to see who she has available and which one clicks with you."

She nodded and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "That sounds perfect. I met Alex when he was a month old and then Ace when he was five weeks old. It's better to see what clicks with me at this stage and then work on preparing for it." She glanced down at the paper and read off the available times she was home. "Looks like she's home all weekend. Have you seen the place?"

"Yes, I have and it's amazingly beautiful. I even saw the puppies and the adults she owns. They are so friendly and gorgeous dogs... I think you'll love this meeting this woman."

Maria was grinning from ear to ear, throwing her arms around his neck once more. "John, you are amazing."

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M

Her eyes scanned around the store, wondering what they were really going to need for the pup's first year. Taking her lunch break at work as a chance to browse around a local pet store a friend owned, Maria knelt down to look at various dog beds and mats available.

"So, you're either browsing for a bed to use for at work or something furry and with a tail has stumbled into your life." Jean rambled, walking up behind her with his hands in his pockets. The lightly dark friend of her's and store owner had taken a soft spot towards Ace when he was alive, but since his passing, neither one saw each other much. "I am hoping it's the later, though."

She cracked a small smile, reaching out to check the softness of one dog bed. "Well, you would be correct. It's been a year since Ace passed away and John just 'happened' to stumble upon a reputable breeder who breeds bloodhounds."

He whistled softly and nodded. "Not a bad pick at all. I had one growing up and best ol' girl I ever knew. Any idea on the gender yet?"

"Not yet, but I'm hoping for a male more then anything. I can handle the neutering and male attitudes like they're nothing. At this point, I'm looking for gender-neutral accessories. I don't expect the dog to sleep in a dog bed all the time, but there are nights when John and I don't want to share a bed with a four-legged creature."

The man chuckled and reached up to straighten a small stack of water bowls. "Sounds like the story of my life. When are you planning on seeing the puppies?"

"This weekend. At the moment, they're a month old, but picking one out early is better instead of waiting and getting one that everyone had avoided. John's basically saying it's my dog, but he'll have ownership of it as well. Ace certainly thought he was his owner after a while." She stood up and stared at a few dog toys, remembering she had packed Ace's toys that were still in great condition. "Mind if I request a few things that you don't have so I don't have to go hunting?"

"Sure! Anything in mind right now that you'd like to request?"

She shook her head and took a hold of a toy. "Not at the moment, but I'll give you a call. I should get back to work before Cragen starts wondering where I've gone." Jean stepped aside to allow her by, watching her reach out to scratch the belly of his parrot, Java.

* * *

"All right now... It's just right down here." John turned down a quiet road and passed a black and silver mailbox. Maria was too excited, nervous and anxious to really drive at this point and watched with a smile as they the car was greeted by a large tan and wrinkly dog. "And here we are."

Frank slowly opened the door with her other hand held out for the large bloodhound to sniff happily. With a definite snort and a quick lick of her hand, he jumped up and placed his large paws on her lap. Maria laughed as he sniffed her face and hair happily, his tail wagging rather quickly for his size. "Why, hello there, big...," She leaned over slightly and took a quick look to see what was checking her over. "Boy."

The dog continued to sniff her face and neck with his tail whipping from side to side, causing Maria to laugh loudly. John was distracted by another bloodhound who had zeroed in on him once he stepped out the car. A slender woman made her way down near the car and grinned. "Good to see you again, John. Looks like Cruise has really warmed up to you." She placed her hand on the back of a third bloodhound, a rather elderly looking dog, and patted its head gently.

"This is one gorgeous male," Maria commented, once she had the chance to really get out of the car to get a good look at him. With one hand, she extended it out and the woman shook her hand. "I'm Maria."

"Good to finally meet you. I'm Lara and that big boy there is Val." She motioned to the hound, who was sniffing down Maria's legs and took a chance to goose her. "And he likes to do that, by the way. Who John's playing with over there is Cruise, one of my females."

Maria stifled a laugh from the feel of Val goosing her and used a hand to steer his head away from her. "I've been goosed before... My last dog did this when he really liked someone." Hearing a small thud and laughing, she peered around the car and saw that John had been pushed to the ground by the female and was soon being pinned by her massive body. "Oh, my."

Lara chuckled and snapped her fingers, grabbing the dog's attention and held a hand out to help John stand. "How about we go in and see the family, huh?" The woman invited them into her how and they were soon surrounded by four more fully grown dogs and the sound of yelping puppies. Maria's eyes instantly spotted a black and tan male hound who was lounging on the couch happily. "That's Bruce."

"He's gorgeous," She whispered, kneeling down to gently pet him. "He's one of your studs?"

"Yes, he is and the father of these puppies over here." She pointed in the direction of the yelping and all three saw heads, ears and noses attempting to peer over the baby fence. Lara walked over and lifted it up, allowing the seven puppies out.

Both John and Maria got down to the floor and held their hands out for the puppies to check out before being assaulted by the little bodies. A mostly black puppy bounded up onto Maria's lap and licked her face practically clean, before turning its attention to John. Bruce clambered off the couch and sat down beside Maria, his nose sniffing her neck lazily. "Who is this one?" John asked, holding up the mostly black and tan puppy. The pup was attempting to lick his fingers like crazy and wiggled happily in his hands.

Lara joined them on the spacious floor and looked it over. "This is one of my boys and is available as a pet. He's probably the best looking bloodhound I've had born in my house with his mostly black body and a good amount of tan in the right places." She turned her attention to Maria and asked, "If I remember correctly, you were looking for a black and tan puppy?"

"Yes," She answered and took a hold of the puppy, watching him sit down contently on her lap and lick her hands. "Mind if we take him outside and play with him for a little bit?" Lara motioned to a basket filled with dog toys and allowed them to pick a few out. Once the other puppies were safely behind the child-proof fence, Lara took them outside with the male puppy.

For the next twenty minutes, she and John observed Maria playing with the puppy before John joined in with the fun and it felt right.

An hour later and sitting in the car on the way home, the two glanced at each other and grinned. They had found the right puppy for her.

**To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer - Maria Frank and Zev are my own creations. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU.**

Two weeks later:

"Okay, let's see what we have in here," Jean reached into a box, pulling out absorbing puppy training pads. "These are the best training pads in the state." He stated, tapping the box with his index finger. "I used these when I was training Rocko and they worked. No leaks, no smell and very easy to clean up afterward."

Maria Frank took the box and looked them over carefully, glancing at her friend over her glasses. "Are you for real or are you just fucking with me?" She cracked a smirk and he laughed. "Remember I can do a background check, pal."

The younger man wiped his eye with the back of his hand and waited until he caught his breath to speak. "I'm for real, Mar. I swear on my mother's grave, they help with training."

"You're mother's not even dead yet." She leaned forward with a smile on her face. "But you swear?" He nodded happily and reached in for another box. "Well, we'll give these a shot."

He nodded and placed the box on the shelf. "Good and in this box over here," He reached for a box under the table, "is the power protectors you wanted." He leaned over the counter and observed her reaching for her wallet. "So you're really getting a puppy?"

"You got that right, spike." She smirked. "A bloodhound with pure bloodhound blood running through his veins. We've gone to see him several times a week to play with him and observe his behavior with his litter mates, parents and by himself and his behavior is amazing. The cutest hunk of extra wrinkled skin I have ever seen." She placed a couple of bucks in his hand and picked up the items. "When we get ready to pick him up, I'll be sure to ask you for some water and drinking bowls, toys and a dog bed. Cragen owns me some extra time off, so I'll be sure to get that time to work with him."

"John's cool with this?"

Maria laughed and shook her head. "He's the one who started this up, Jean. Keep that in mind, okay? If he's ready to take on a drooling and howling canine, he's ready, too."

Jean nodded and smiled. "Be sure to stop in when you get him, okay? I'll need to see this wonder-pup."

"You have a deal, my friend."

M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M*M

John looked over his handwork with wrapping various wires behind the television set and placed his hands on his hips. "Looks good to me. What do you think?" He turned his head to Maria.

"Looks good to me, too. We can also put on barriers so he doesn't shock himself or anything, too. Jean also has some spray that tastes like a bitter apple we can spray places where we don't want him to chew." Munch gave her a look and she chuckled. "Yes, John. There are sprays out there that can save your shoes and the furniture. You didn't know that?"

He shook his head slightly. "Not when my dad let us have a dog. I've often wondered about that dog, but keep a positive view on it: he got adopted and had a home for the rest of his life." Sensing Frank was off thinking of something else, he turned to see she wasn't there anymore. "Now where did you go?"

"I'm in here, silly, and I was listening." She called from the kitchen. "I'm not your father when it comes to dogs, so no need to worry about what will happen with this one. What we need to do it work out a name for him."

"Not Fluffy or Spot?" He grinned and ducked as an arm swung out to playfully cuff him over the head. "Is that a no?"

She placed her hands on her hips and smirked. "Yes, that's a no. I never liked the name Fluffy or Spot for a dog." She sat down on the couch and reached for a name book. "Maybe we can find something in here. At least I don't need to give him a full name, like I had to do with Ace and Alex."

John sat down next to her, draping his arm over her shoulders and crossing one leg over the other. "That should make it a little easier then. Right?"

"Right." Maria turned her head and smiled at him. For the next forty minutes, they scanned through the book and browsed names. Every now and then, they would say names out loud and decide if it worked or not, mentally scratching off names that didn't work for them. Frank was deep into the book after a while, but John's mind was starting to wonder off once he really noticed how close they were. They hadn't been this close for a few days and he couldn't stand not giving her some attention. He slowly closed his eyes and nudged her neck with his nose. Maria turned her head and smiled at him when his eyes opened. "What's the matter?"

He gave her a cocky smile and whispered, "We haven't been this close for a few days and I want to give you some attention." He held her closer and touched her cheek gently with his hand, taking the book from her hand with his other. "With everything we've done getting the place ready for a puppy, I think it's time for us to slow down for a moment and spend some time together. Maybe a little wine with a date?"

Maria smiled and softly chuckled. "I guess you're right. We haven't exactly had a chance to be intimate together or just cuddle during quiet times. Maybe we should do one of those and have a date later?"

"Works for me," He leaned over and playfully nibbled her neck, earning a well deserved sigh. With a playful nudge with his hand, Munch had her laying on her back and lightly pinned with his body. "Let's just be sure we don't rush this, though."

Slowly nodding and placing her hand on his chest, Maria gently bit down on her bottom lip for a second. "Bet we can make it a new record if we don't."

"You're on, babe."

* * *

Nervously licking her lips and biting her thumbnail, Frank watched out the window as John drove them to pick up her - their - new puppy. After rolling around several names between each other, they had settled on four names; Charlie, Zev, Max and Otto. It wasn't the names that had her nervous, it was the fact they were picking him up and couldn't wait!

Turning his head for a second and seeing her biting her thumbnail, John reached a hand out and took a hold of her's. "Easy now. I know you're nervous and excited, but don't destroy your pretty nails, okay?"

"I'm trying not to, but there are times I can't help it." She reached into her pocket and pull out a fruit-flavored gum pack. "I'm just nervous and excited about having a new puppy at home. I just hope I can remember a few things about training and everything." She popped the piece of gum into her mouth and slowly chewed it, hoping it would ease the need to chew on her nails. "Hopefully it will come back, like riding a bike."

"It will. It's like a second nature for you." He turned his head for a second and grinned at her. "Just like kicking the ass of suspects and child abusers." He smiled when she softly laughed and reached over, placing her hand on his thigh. "Feel better?"

Maria nodded her head. "Yeah, I do. You certainly have a way with words, hun."

"It's one of my best charms." John remarked, placing his hand on top of her's as they pulled into the drive way of Lara's property and they got out as Lara walked out of her house, her elderly hound keeping up with her pace. "Good afternoon, Lara."

She nodded and shook their hands firmly. "Good afternoon to you both. Anxious?" Maria chuckled nervously and Lara placed her hand on her shoulder. "I can understand the nervousness. I think the one you want can sense the nervousness since he's been all over the place and whining every time a car has gone by." With a nod of her head, she motioned for them to follow her into the house and she removed the baby gate, allowing all of the puppies to swarm out and into their waiting arms.

A few of the puppies had on different colored bands around their necks. "What do the bands mean?" Munch asked with a curious expression.

"It means those are the ones that have been picked and yours would be the one with the yellow band." She picked up the tussling pup as he rolled around with his dame and placed him in Maria's arms. "Any idea for names?"

Scratching the pup's long ears and allowing him to lick his nose, Munch responded with, "We have four names in mind and ready to pass them around and see what works for him."

Lara nodded with a smile and reached out to pet the puppy. "I have a very good feeling he's going to be very good hands." She observed the two interact with the puppy and grinned. "Ready to take him home?"

Maria nodded happily and stood up with the puppy in her arms. "Anything we need to know?"

Lara reached for several pieces of paper on her coffee table and handed them to John. "Everything that is needed to know is on here, including his papers, recent shots, weight at birth and weight now, how much he's eating and dam and sire's health history." She watched them look it over and flip a few pages to scan over his feeding schedule, what food he was on, and everything else they wanted to know. "Feeling overwhelmed?"

"Not quite, but it will sink in later." Maria chuckled nervously and shifted her hold on the puppy and pulled Lara in for a hug. "Thank you so much. This really does mean everything to me, honestly."

* * *

Arriving home safely and placing the puppy on the kitchen floor, they both watched him sniff around his new home; his long and floppy ears dragging along the floor. Maria got down onto her knees and patted the floor to grab his attention. Spinning on his back legs and bounding back to her, he playfully bounced around her and stumbled over his long legs, landing on top of John's feet and leaned against his legs.

Both John and the pup looked at each other and stared for a few moments. The more they stared at each other, the harder his tail thumped against the tiled floor. "What's up, short-round?" John asked, reaching a hand down to scratch behind his floppy ear. As if he understood, the pup threw his head back and howled a small bloodhound howl, causing John to lift his head and grin at Maria. "I think we have an idea for his name now."

"I think so, too." She reached down and lifted him up into her arms. Laughing when he tossed his head back against and howled again, she scratched the back of his neck and said, "You're name is now Zev."

**To be continued...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Maria Frank and Zev are my own creations. John Munch belongs to Law and Order: SVU. **

A week later:

Finally taking a chance for the paid vacation they both needed, Maria playfully pulled on Zev's toy rope as he tugged back, growling back at her playfully as he leaned back on his long legs, bracing himself. When it all seemed, Maria was going to win, John sneaked up behind her and grabbed at her shoulders and making her yelp loudly. "John!" The rope was pulled form her hand and the thirteen week old bloodhound trotted off cheerfully to his living room dog bed to chew on it. "See! Now he's going to gloat about winning, when it wasn't a win." She muttered with a smirk.

"He and I planned that out, babe." His dark eyes flickered up to look at Zev and he winked. The pup threw his head back and gave a hound howl in reply, his long tail thumping against the carpet. "Of course...I think he's far more aware of what he managed to achieve then what he's showing." Since bringing Zev home, both of them had had their hands full caring for his needs and having a very good friend and dog trainer watching him while they were at work and keeping him on a routine schedule.

Maria chuckled and stood up to scratch the back of his ears with her hands. "Even at this young age, I wonder who has more wrinkles? You or him?" She looked over her shoulder to see John giving her a cocky smile and she grinned. "I'm going to say Zev for now, but once he's older, you two are going to have to have a serious competition."

"If he wins, he gets a romp in the park with the long leash for playing fetch." Slowly strolling towards Frank and wrapping his arms around her waist, he pressed his lips to her neck and whispered, "And if I win, I get a romp in the sheets. 'Kay?"

"That's a deal," She softly laughed, turning in his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck. "And if you two are even and no one wins?"

Munch nodded his head in one direction, thinking. "If that's the case, you win and you get whatever you want."

"Good." Just as their faces began to move closer for a small intimate moment, a sharp bark brought them back to Earth and they both turned their heads to see the heavily wrinkled puppy staring at them and sitting by the door. "I guess he wants out now."

Softly sighing and reaching for the leash and his coat, Munch bent down and snapped it to her collar. "I'll do it. You have better be waiting for me when I get back, though." When she nodded her head, he gave her a wink and took Zev out for his frequent duties of house training.

With how well they were keeping up with his routine, having a new and younger soul in their lives could just be what they need.

**End!**


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